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Thursday 13 December 2012

Deepak to release 'tell-all booklet' on Rosmah


Controversial businessperson Deepak Jaikishan is going to write a 26-page tell-all booklet in which he plans to link the wife of the prime minister, Rosmah Mansor, with the saga of murdered Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.

NONEThis, he said, was his own direct response to Rosmah's planned autobiography, in which she is to include a chapter dedicated to answering allegations levelled against her.

"Datin Seri Rosmah made a very, very good decision to publish her autobiography.

"On the suggestion of a friend from the media, I decided this morning to announce that I too will be launching two books," Deepak told Malaysiakini in an interview today.

NONEThe first, to be launched next Monday, he said, would be a simple 26-page booklet.

"(The booklet will) start with the day I received the first call till today, about what has transpired, the truth, all the facts.
"I got a lot of SMSes and calls (from Rosmah). I will gather these and put them all together."
It was Rosmah, says Deepak
Rosmah, alleged Deepak, was the "female friend" who had called him up and asked for his help in the matter.
The booklet, said Deepak, would focus exclusively on how Rosmah recruited him to coerce former private investigator P Balasubramaniam to sign a second statuatory declaration (SD) refuting his earlier one linking her husband, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, with the saga surrounding the Altantuya's murder.

The carpet dealer said the book would be printed "in the thousands" and distributed to members of the public as well as be made available online.

His other book, which he said he would write himself, would be a full autobiography.

"With due respect to Datin Seri, I plan to launch it a day after her autobiography is released," Deepak added.

MIC views Sg Siput recapture as emblem of revival

COMMENT Shorn into a shell of its former self by the political tsunami of March 2008, the MIC is eyeing the recapture of its former bastion of Sungai Siput as a springboard for the party's return to its parliamentary eminence of old.

d jeyakumar press conferenceUnrealistic as that expectation is by reason of the popularity of incumbent Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj (right in photo) of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), the MIC looks at Sungai Siput, where it has held sway from the 1959 general election until its defeat in 2008, in the same way perhaps as the Nehru dynasty in India views the parliamentary seat of Rae Bareli in northern India - with that mixture of sentiment and history that makes politics a calling that at times derives its force from promptings livelier in the heart than in the mind.

For that reason the party has even toyed with the notion of fielding Kunjari Sambanthan, daughter of VT Sambanthan, the MIC president who was first elected to the seat in 1959.

Folklore has it that the nexus between the Sambanthan family - the large wooden house in which he lived in the constituency is reputedly still intact - and Sungai Siput was such that when the MIC patriarch died in 1979, he was driven to the town so that his expiry could be simulated as having occurred there rather than somewhere in the Klang Valley.

Kunjari is a lawyer with no prior involvement in politics but the logic that drives dynastic politics scants such qualifiers.

Though the 50-something Kunjari has shown no taste for the fray, the fact that she has been propositioned is a measure of the gravity with which the MIC views the recapture of its once hallowed stomping grounds.

Prior to 2008, only once in the previous 11 general elections did the MIC feel threatened in the bailiwick of its incumbent president.

That was in the 1990 polls when the DAP's formidable P Patto ran S Samy Vellu close, coming within 2,000 votes of unseating the MIC president.

That year the opposition's chances of faring well against the BN were enhanced by internal ructions in Umno issuing from a challenge to the legitimacy of Dr Mahathir Mohamad's leadership of the party.

NONEDespite that advantage, Patto was not able to gain enough leverage to beat Samy Vellu (left) whose cultivation of the Orang Asli voters proved crucial in the crunch.

Apart from that singular instance, the Sungai Siput seat has been safely in the hands of the holder of the MIC presidency but since Samy Vellu's ouster in 2008, his successor in the presidential chair, G Palanivel, has not been able to suggest that he could mount an insurgency against Jeyakumar.

Samy Vellu's son, Vel Paari, tried in the last two celebrations of the annual Hindu festival of Deepavali to make inroads by dispensing largesse in the form of laptops and other gifts to Indian voters in the area.

But his munificence has not inspired confidence that he could mount a credible challenge to Jeyakumar whose constant presence in the constituency and attention to the myriad problems and woes of its poorer residents have made him a formidable claimant for the renewal of tenure.

Risky move

But the MIC is loath to acknowledge that its umbilical ties of yore to Sungai Siput have been severed for good, calculating that its rejuvenation as the party of choice for Indian Malaysians has got to be founded on the ties of sentiment that bind the presidential chair in the party to this parliamentary seat in northern Perak.

It is rather like the Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh in India which from 1960 sent first Feroze Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru's son-in-law and then his daughter, Indira, to Parliament regularly after Feroze died in 1960.

It is bruited about that Umno president Najib Abdul Razak has advised the MIC to recapture Sungai Siput as an emblem of its revival as a political force in Malaysian politics.

Immediate past president, Samy Vellu, has assumed the role of general in charge of recapture but neither Vel Paari nor party secretary-general S Murugesan and S Subramaniam, incumbent MP for Segamat in Johor, are keen to be nominated for repossession of the seat.

NONESamy's suggestion at the MIC assembly last week that it was within Palanivel's (left in photo) prerogative as party president to send K Devamany, incumbent MP for Cameron Highlands, to contest in Sungai Siput is a proposal that is bound to be resented by Devamany, especially as the latter is said to be unbeatable in Cameron Highlands, something that cannot be assumed for his putative replacement, Palanivel.

The prospects for re-election of MIC's other two current MPs, Subramaniam and S Saravanan (Tapah), are reputedly shaky, which makes the move to send Devamany to Sungai Siput decidedly risky.

In desperation, the party thought about fielding Kunjari but though there is lingering affection for the legacy of Sambanthan, it is not strong enough to propel a scion of the family forward as a formidable challenger to Jeyakumar.

Latest reports say that former MIC senator Daljit Singh Dhaliwal has pitched his hat in the ring but he is a non-entity whose only claim to fame is that he is a business associate of Samy.

Thus the prospects for recapture of the seat by MIC are decidedly poor but the general in charge of the operation has deep pockets and, true to his combative instincts, is always inclined to rate his chances as better than even.

TERENCE NETTO has been a journalist for close on four decades. He likes the occupation because it puts him in contact with the eminent without being under the necessity to admire them. It is the ideal occupation for a temperament that finds power fascinating and its exercise abhorrent.  

Deepak: SD 2 Bala sekat hal lebih besar


Phang: I've no power to influence police transfers


Child molesters beyond reach of long arm of the law

Despite allegations of child molestation against a number of local clerics in the city, not one suspect has been detained due to a lack of solid evidence in each case, according to the police.

In the most recent case, allegedly committed by the founder of the Islamic educational Darul Ilmi Al-fikri Foundation in Pondok Cabe, South Jakarta, the police said they had no legitimate reason to arrest the suspect.

South Jakarta Police detectives chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Hermawan said on Tuesday that according to Criminal Code Procedures, an arrest could only be made with two pieces of evidence: physical proof and a witness statement.

“Physical examinations of the [victims] did not present anything unusual. Also, the witnesses presented did not directly see the alleged assaults taking place, they only received verbal reports from the victims,” he said, adding that the police had not stopped seeking evidence for the case.

The police named Mika Maulana a suspect on Nov. 26, following a report filed by a teacher at the foundation, for allegedly molesting three teenage girls, aged 14, 16 and 17, between January and September. The police, however, soon released him, much to the anger of the victims’ families.

“It is not right that the man is walking around free, considering what he did to my 14-year-old daughter,” said the widowed mother of one of the girls at the National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas Anak) office in East Jakarta on Tuesday.

The parents and their legal representatives are seeking support from the commission to have the suspect arrested.

One of the lawyers, Abu Bakar Lamatapo, said the police’s argument was debatable, as they already had statements from the three victims and two witnesses.

“The fact that the man hasn’t been put behind bars has upset the parents, the victims and people living in those areas, which in itself could be another reason to issue an arrest warrant,” Abu said.

Komnas Anak chairman Arist Merdeka Sirait said the police should charge the suspect under the 2002 Child Protection Law rather than the Criminal Code on molestation, which the suspect could easily dodge by claiming what took place was consensual.

“Even if it was consensual, it was done to minors, who are supposed to be protected from such repugnant deeds,” he said.

The Criminal Code carries seven years’ imprisonment as a punishment for molestation, while the Child Protection Law carries a sentence of 15 years in jail plus a Rp 300 million (US$31,136) fine.

Another alleged sex offender who is still free is cleric Habib Hasan Assegaf, the leader of the Nurul Musthofa Islamic congregation in Jagakarta, South Jakarta. He was reported to police in February for allegedly sexually abusing 13 underage boys since 2002.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said the police were making slow progress in the Habib Hasan investigation, also due to a lack of evidence.

“The difficulty in investigating such cases is that sometimes the assaults occurred long before being reported, therefore making it hard to gather physical evidence,” Rikwanto said. (aml/fzm)

Netherlands 'halal homes' ignite religious row

Apartments in Bos and Lommer area
The renovated apartments look quite typical from the outside
By Anna Holligan BBC News,
 
The Netherlands

Renovations in Amsterdam apartments - nicknamed "halal homes" in the press - have sparked a political row in the Netherlands.

About 180 apartments in Amsterdam have been given special makeovers which suit the wishes of Muslim residents. Features include individual taps that can be used for ritual cleansing before prayers and sliding doors to keep men and women apart.

Some right-wing politicians have been stirring up public opposition, warning that anyone asking for such modifications should "leave for Mecca".

From the outside, the apartments look no different from other social housing blocks in the residential area of Bos and Lommer, in the less opulent western reaches of the capital.

Aynur Yildrim gives a tour of her home with the enthusiasm of an inspired estate agent. In the bathroom she bends to reveal the lowered water point - a modification that, in some variation, might equally exist in non-religious homes. But it is the perceived religious aspect of these changes that has made them so controversial.

And it is in the tidy kitchen that the distinction is most striking, as Ms Yildrim shows off the sliding doors.

"I wanted a closed kitchen, in order to be able to close the kitchen off now and then for a bit more privacy. Sometimes we like to be separated, the women on one side and the men on the other."

Wim de Waard of the housing association Eigen Haard insisted that the changes were "absolutely not religiously inspired - they are just practical adaptations". The adaptations followed consultations with local residents, including Muslim groups.

Mr de Waard stressed that apartments were not reserved for Muslims - homes were assigned on the basis of rank on the waiting list, size of household and income.

Wilders outraged
Aynur Yildrim in her apartment in Amsterdam
Aynur Yildrim is enthusiastic about the adaptations which fit in with Muslim tradition
 

For many Dutch people, living in a historically tolerant and liberal country, the idea of separating men and women has led to some criticism that these buildings are effectively condoning some kind of gender inequality.

The controversial anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders accused the Dutch authorities of subsidising a "medieval gender apartheid".

He has publicly prophesied about an impending "ghettoisation" of Dutch neighbourhoods - not unusually strong words from a man who once appeared in court for his strident rhetoric. Mr Wilders was cleared of inciting religious hatred two years ago.

After a poor performance in recent parliamentary elections, Mr Wilders may be angling to woo immigration-conscious right-wing voters again with his strong, headline-grabbing statements. Recent opinion polls suggest that if there were to be an election tomorrow, his Freedom Party (PVV) would win.

A Dutch property developer and PVV supporter said he was "shocked" by the "halal homes" concept.

"It's a ridiculous idea, I thought it was a joke," he complained.

"It turns into reality. The rules of the Koran are discrimination, it is stimulating discrimination. It's taking us back to medieval times."

"These immigrants are from lower social classes, they're not educated, they're bringing those values to our Dutch society - the opposite should happen, they should adapt to our modern and free values.

We should teach them to integrate. This is backwards. What if it were on buses? If we were to separate men and women on buses it would be like discrimination again, here in the Netherlands. It's crazy. I can't believe it. It frightens me."

Using tax revenue
Geert Wilders - file pic
Geert Wilders has long campaigned against Muslim influence in Dutch society
 
But many residents in the area seem to accept that what their neighbours do in the privacy of their own homes is entirely up to them.

Tess Duijghuisen lives in the same block and said: "A lot of new people arrived here lately, a lot of young people like me, so trust me, there's no problem of ghettoisation.

"And there are a lot of exchanges between people from all nationalities, which makes life much nicer here."

On internet forums, some users have made light of the renovations, with comments such as, "I believe in the power of disco, please can I have a disco ball built into my apartment?"

When I asked Dutch followers on Twitter why the opposition, they told me "it's wrong that inequality should be subsidised by tax money" and that another country's traditions "may be offensive to others".

It is a debate over the public versus private spaces. When the public purse is used to part-fund modifications, which many see as the religious antithesis of traditional Dutch society, conflict emerges.

Public funding is actually in the form of a guarantee, the housing association says. Yet it is still perceived as a subsidy.

The housing association says the complex is completely mixed, that the homes have been renovated to improve their "rentability" and that it is just trying to keep everyone happy. Many would argue that that is a tough ambition to fulfil - whether in religion, politics or our private lives.

Teen summoned for frolicking in park upset and embarrassed

KOTA BARU: The 17-year-old teenager, who was issued a summons for allegedly giving his girlfriend a “piggy-back ride” at a public park, is upset and embarrassed following the incident.

The teenager, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he had a tough time explaining to his mother that he was innocent and that he and his 15-year-old girlfriend did nothing indecent.

The teenager was given the summons for allegedly “piggy-backing” his girlfriend while jogging at Taman Tunku Anis at about 5.30pm on Oct 20.

“The incident was traumatic for me and my girlfriend because although I am not an expert in council by-laws, I think what I did was merely having fun with my girlfriend. It was far from an offence.

“We were just fooling around in broad daylight like any other teenager but the officer who approached us said it was improper for us to act like that in public.

“He continued giving us a lecture on morality and when I thought that we would be let off with a warning, he issued us with the summons,” he said yesterday adding that he was now in Kuala Lumpur after completing his SPM examinations.

Summonses had also been issued to two non-Muslim men were for allegedly embracing each other when they were found in a car parked near the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport at midnight on Oct 31. Both have denied the allegations.

The action against the four led to an outcry by various groups which likened it to imposing the Syariah law of close proximity or “khalwat” on non-Muslims.

The teenager also claimed he had argued with the officer as it was unfair to penalise someone when a verbal warning would suffice.

“When I got home that day, I showed the summons to my mother.

“She was very upset at first but when she saw the nature of the offence written in the summons, she believed that I had done nothing wrong.

“My mother thinks I should not have been issued with the summons and that is why she has brought up the matter with lawyers to ask their opinion on the matter,” he added.

He said the news about the incident spread and many assumed that he was involved in “hanky-panky business” with his girlfriend.

“All my friends wanted to know what happened in the park. But when I told them that my girlfriend was merely on my back, they did not believe me and after seeing the summons, my friends will now think twice about hanging out with their girlfriends anywhere.

“They are now afraid to even go to the park with their girlfriends,” she added.

He said he had been under some stress during the SPM examinations because of the incident.

“But I believe I did okay because my conscience is clear and my family is with me,” he said.

Govt to keep out of Musa-Ramli spat, Hisham says

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 12 – The government is choosing to stay on the sidelines of the public fight between two  former senior crime busters even as observers note the squabble is jeopardising public confidence in the police force.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein (picture) said today the government will not get in between former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Musa Hassan and his former colleague-turned critic Datuk Ramli Yusuff as its priority was improving the police force, but will instead let the quarrelsome duo battle out their grievances against each other.

“What’s important is for us to look forward to improve the police force... Let them accuse each other.

“The government will not interfere,” Hishammuddin told a news conference here.

However, the minister questioned Musa motive in alleging interference from the executive in police operations.

He said when Musa was still IGP, the police veteran had never complained about his command being usurped by ministers and was doing so now only because of the looming elections.

“(Musa) used to work with me ... but he had never made all these sorts of comments.

“Why is he bringing up these issues now?” Hishammuddin asked, and added, “This is all because of the elections, that is why.”

Hishammuddin was weighing in on the issue after being pinned by Musa as being among those responsible for the public’s sliding confidence in the police force.

Musa first came into the spotlight last month when he dropped a bombshell at a press conference, accusing ministers of power abuse and meddling with police investigations and operations.

The country’s former number one watchman had singled out Hishammuddin at the time, and had also criticised his successor Tan Sri Ismail Omar as being a yes-man to the government.

But almost immediately, Ramli – formerly the director of the Commercial Crimes Investigation Department (CCID) – stepped out from retirement to defend incumbent IGP Ismail, accusing Musa of power abuse during his time in uniform.

Ramli claimed Musa, his former colleague and rival in the force, had colluded with the Attorney-General to escape from being arraigned in a 2006 criminal court case involving underworld figures in Johor.

‘Rosmah told me to look for Bala’

Deepak Jaikishan alleges that the PM's wife rang him at about 6pm on the day private investigator P Balasubramaniam made the first statutory declaration.
FULL REPORT

KUALA LUMPUR: Carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan today claimed that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s wife Rosmah Mansor told him to look for private investigator P Balasubramaniam on the day the latter’s statutory declaration (SD) was made public.

Revealing the identity of “the female friend” whom he mentioned at his recent press conferences, Deepak claimed that Rosmah called up many people for favours on the day Balasubramaniam disclosed his first SD, which linked Najib to the murder of Mongolian national Altantuyaa Shaariibuu.

“At about 6pm or 7pm that day, Rosmah called me, asking me to help resolve the matter. I don’t know Bala in person, but we have a mutual friend,” he told FMT.

The well-connected businessman repeated his earlier claim that Rosmah was rushing because one of the five individuals involved in the murder case was going to come forward to speak against Najib.

Although he did not mention the date, it is likely that the incident took place on July 3, 2008.

Deepak said he managed to get hold of the private investigator within a few hours of Rosmah’s phone call but the latter was sceptical over what he said.

“He asked to meet with Najib. I went to Najib’s house to discuss this, but Najib did not want to see him.

“Then Rosmah proposed to have Najib’s brother Nazim to meet him.”

Deepak said a meeting between him, Balasubramaniam and Nazim was later held at The Curve, where Nazim asked the private investigator what he wanted in return for making the second SD.

He said Nazim took Balasubramaniam to the Hilton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur after the meeting.

He claimed that Najib had arranged for a senior lawyer who is now a Tan Sri to prepare the second SD for Balasubramaniam.

‘My biggest mistake’

In the second SD issued the next morning, Balasubramaniam retracted all the allegations he had made against Najib, claiming that he was compelled to affirm the first SD under duress.

Deepak said he now regretted getting involved in the case.

“It was the biggest mistake I have made,” he said, adding that he could have saved himself a lot of trouble if he had, like the other friends Rosmah had called, refused to do help her out.

The 40-year-old businessman claimed Balasubramaniam was speaking the truth in the first SD.

Asked how he knew that the premier and his wife were involved in the murder of Altantuya, he said: “I think this is pure fact. I was involved in the case. I knew that.”

He claimed that when Rosmah was asking for his “favour” in the phone call, he already knew the nature of the “favour” because there were already news reports of Balasubramaniam’s SD on the Internet.

Deepak said his friendship with Rosmah, whom he once referred to as “Elder Sister”, deteriorated following a land dispute involving him and Umno senator Raja Roopiah Abdullah.

Thanks to Rosmah

He claimed that his company, Asta Canggih Sdn Bhd, was the nominee company or third party vehicle in the acquisition of 223 acres of land after he struck an agreement with Raja Roopiah.

Under the agreement, he was supposed to get all but 23 acres of the land, which would be returned to Raja Roopiah.

Deepak claimed that Najib had bypassed the Cabinet in deciding to pull back the land from him.

He alleged that he had been constantly intimidated by government machinery and had lost a lot of business deals with the government,

“I acknowledge that because of (Rosmah), I was able to rise from a carpet dealer to receiving multi-million [ringgit] contracts from the government,” he said. “I received a lot of support from her.”

He said he had decided to go on a “long holiday” in Myanmar from Dec 10 to March 11, which is his birthday.

Deepak: Anwar is not behind me

Disputing the so-called video evidence, the carpet dealer says the conversation was taken out of context and he challenges those responsible to release the entire footage.
FULL REPORT

KUALA LUMPUR: Carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan today denied that his recent revelations about Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor were engineered by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, saying that his mention of the latter in a video footage was taken out of context.

Speaking to FMT today, he claimed that his detractors cooked up a story from the video footage that showed him mentioning several PKR leaders, including Anwar.

The footage (photo: below) has been widely circulated by pro-Umno bloggers.

“I did not say that I met Anwar,” he said. “What I said and what was written (in the blog) are two different things.”

He challenged the person who recorded the video to release the entire footage and the transcript of what he had said.

Last week, pro-Umno blogger Papa Gomo posted a two-minute clip in which Deepak is seen speaking to a few people off camera.

Aside from Anwar, Deepak also mentioned Subang MP R Sivarasa and PKR vice-presidents N Surendran and Nurul Izzah in the video.

“So he said I give you the place, whatever you want to do I help you, but you have to help me lah. Of course it is understood lah,” said the man in the video.

The video, according to Papa Gomo, was proof that Deepak had met with Anwar before he began his attacks against Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor on Nov 27.

Video take at Umno leader’s house

Responding to the allegations, Deepak said he was not working with anybody but was merely “seeking justice” for himself.

“I didn’t know Anwar. And Sivarasa only came in for my court case at the last juncture. I never met Anwar in regard to this matter.”

The 40-year-old businessman also told FMT that the video was recorded at the house of an Umno supreme council member who, he claimed, had tried to “silence” him.

Without disclosing his name, Deepak claimed that the Umno leader was the one who met him on Nov 30 and asked him not to make any further statement until Umno’s annual general assembly was concluded on Dec 1. Deepak had made his first exposé on Nov 28.

He said he was not a member of any political party and that his only interest was business.

He claimed the government had caused a lot of disruption to his business after a land dispute involving him and Umno senator Raja Roopiah Abdullah.

Hundreds turn up for ‘stateless Indians’ protest

MIC members are also present and have set up MyDaftar kiosks outside the NRD office.
FULL REPORT

PUTRAJAYA: Hundreds gathered at the open space behind the Palace of Justice here to participate in the 12-12-12 protest for stateless Indian Malaysians.

Some in the crowd of about 600 came clad in the “12-12-12” shirts.

Most of Pakatan Rakyat’s Indian representatives were also present including Klang MP Charles Santiago, Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran, Kapar MP S Manikavasagam and Subang MP R Sivarasa.

PKR vice-president Chua Jui Meng and several others addressed the crowd who were carrying red identification cards.

Police personnel were seen guarding the National Registration Department (NRD) office. MIC had also set up MyDaftar kiosks in front of the NRD.

There were banners hung in front of the NRD office with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s photos with messages commending the MyDaftar programme.

After a brief stand-off, NRD opened its doors to allow representatives from the group to meet its officers.

Meanwhile, MyDaftar representative K Novinthen told FMT that 20 people have already registered to obtain their identification documents since morning.

PKR: 500 registered today

Special Indian Implementation Task Force (SITF) adviser N Siva Subramaniam, when met near the NRD office, told FMT that 65 people registered with the MyDaftar programme today.

“Red and green IC holders are not stateless.

“Red is given to those with permanent residence status whereas green is given to those who are in welfare homes and orphans,” he said.

Three persons managed to obtain birth certificates due to the protest held today.

M Soundarajan, 47, from Rawang, claimed that his children were given birth certificates without his name.

“I was late in applying for the MyKad. That resulted in the birth certificates without my name. I came here six times but failed to rectify my children’s birth certificates,” he said.

Meanwhile, PKR claimed that they had registered a total of 500 people.

“It is a tremendous success since it is a working day,” said Surendran.

Asked about MIC central working committee member S Vell Paari’s offer to work together to resolve the problem, he said: “MIC and BN are making the offer to curb the political damage that they have suffered.”

“They should ask Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, as part of the government, to resolve the problem instead of cheating the people,” he added

Why reveal now, Musa?

The rakyat should ask themselves this question: when Musa Hassan was the IGP, what did he do?
COMMENT

Following former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan’s recent exposé of political interference in the police force during his tenure as the police chief, I want to ask you this: when he was the IGP what did he do?

What did he do about political interference in the conduct of police investigation? Did he behave like an IGP whose duties were hampered by interference of political forces?

Dia tak malu ka (have you no shame), getting so many extensions to your term as IGP from your political masters who were interfering with your duties as IGP?

Is Musa saying anything new now? Why not stand up against all this while you were the IGP? Why only now?

I have my suspicion of government servants, of which Musa was one, who speak up after their retirement.

Why not speak up when you were working under your onerous political masters? Why? Were you worried of lost promotions?

Worried about not getting a Tan Sri? No pension? Were you worried of not being IGP anymore?

The same goes for Chua Jui Ming and and even the former deputy prime minister and minister of finance of Malaysia – Anwar Ibrahim.

It is always after the nasi has become bubur that they wave the white handkerchief and boldly stand up to voice their dissent against the very same political masters that they were once subservient to.

Tell something new

And Musa tells us that the Special Branch is tailing him. Musa tells us that criminal elements have infiltrated the police force and that politicians interfered with investigations.

Aisehman Musa, why not tell us something we do not know?

As for Anwar, he must remember that if he is shot down again over this Deepak Jaikishan and Musa issue, I doubt if he can regain any lost ground.

I can assure Anwar that in matters like this, our people tidak mudah lupa. Umno tidak mudah lupa. Hadi Awang of PAS, and the DAP also tidak mudah lupa. And saya pun tak mudah lupa!

Be the change that our people aspire to. Be anything else and you will find that the truth somehow has a way of being a nuisance when you least expect it to.

Aeschylus wrote: “In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.”

Anwar must remember that we all have endured much pain and sufferings through these years of a government that cared more for its political gain than for ours.

Surely there are lessons learnt from them of what Anwar should not do if he aspires to lead us. May that wisdom to do so be conferred upon him by the grace of God sooner rather than later.

CT Ali is a reformist who believes in Pakatan Rakyat’s ideologies. He is a FMT columnist.

Roboh tempat suci: MPS sedia laporan

Dalam hal ini kita kena beri peluang kepada PBT tersebut untuk menjelaskan tindakan mereka," kata MB Selangor.

SHAH ALAM: Kajian terperinci berhubung isu perobohan tempat suci (shrine) dalam perkarangan sebuah rumah di Sepang baru-baru ini sedang dijalankan oleh Majlis Perbandaran Sepang (MPS).

“Tidak lama lagi kita akan terima laporan atas kajian yang dibuat itu. Dalam hal ini kita kena beri peluang kepada PBT tersebut untuk menjelaskan tindakan mereka,” kata Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta memberi pandangan berhubung isu yang menimbulkan kontroversi itu dalam sidang media di Bangunan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri (SUK) di sini hari ini.

Pada Sabtu lalu, ratusan penganut agama Hindu mengadakan tunjuk perasaan di luar bangunan SUK bagi membantah terhadap kerajaan negeri Selangor yang didakwa ‘merestui’ tindakan merobohkan tempat suci itu.

Kesan buruk penswastaan

Sementara itu, mengulas mengenai laporan media berhubung analisa syarikat antarabangsa, JP Morgan bahawa prestasi ekonomi Malaysia akan baik sekiranya Barisan Nasional terus menguasai Kerajaan Persekutuan, beliau berkata ia hanya percubaan untuk menakut-nakutkan rakyat.

Beliau menegur syarikat tersebut supaya lebih berwaspada dengan analisa tersebut agar tidak dilihat sebagai menyebelahi mana-mana pihak.

“Antara faktor-faktor yang tidak diambil kira dalam analisa yang sedia ada adalah kesan buruk penswastaan di Malaysia, yang semakin membebankan rakyat dengan kerugian tetapi mengagihkan keuntungan hanya kepada pihak swasta.

“Kejadian ini semakin meningkat di bawah Kerajaan Persekutuan di mana rakyat berhadapan risiko kewangan tetapi hanya syarikat konsesi yang menikmati keuntungan.

“Kepercayaan bahawa perubahan politik serta reformasi kerajaan Persekutuan akan mengakibatkan kemelut ekonomi adalah tidak wajar,” katanya.

Adun Permatang berbohong
Mengenai isu asrama Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor (Kuis), Abdul Khalid mendakwa Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Permatang dari Barisan Nasional, Sulaiman Razak bercakap bohong.

Ujar beliau, perjanjian pembinaan dan penswastaan asrama adalah antara syarikat milik Adun Permatang dan Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (Mais). Oleh itu kuasa untuk memutuskan sebarang keputusan dalam kolej itu bukan dari kerajaan Selangor.

Beliau menasihatkan agar Kuis dan Mais melakukan penyusunan semula untuk mengurangkan beban bayaran asrama oleh para pelajar.

Adalah dipercayai syarikat milik Sulaiman telah menaikkan (mark-up) kos pembinaan bangunan asrama terlalu tinggi sehingga bayaran sewa asrama menjadi begitu mahal dan membebankan para pelajar.

SMS invites Indian nationals to Putrajaya rally

A foreigner says a person calling himself PKR Bala promised him Malaysian citizenship.

PUTRAJAYA : An Indian national has alleged that someone claiming to be a PKR leader promised to help him get Malaysian citizenship provided he join today’s protest at the National Registration Department (NRD) here.

Vengadeshwaran Subramaniam, who hails from Tamil Nadu and now resides in Kampung Kayu Ara, Damansara, told FMT that three days ago he received a text message with the promise from a person identifying himself as PKR Bala.

He said he called the number from which the message was sent. “The phone was picked-up by an Indian man who introduced himself as PKR Bala. He told me he got my number through my friends.”

The SMS, which was forwarded to FMT, reads: “To all Indian National from India. Don’t miss this opportunity. U can get Malaysian citizenship. Malaysian government giving u a chance now. Please go and register at Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (NRD), Putrajaya on 12-12-12 at 10am. Please pass a word to all our Indians friends.”

Subramaniam said several of his friends received the same message.

He said that in the phone conversation, he asked PKR Bala to explain his message. “He told me he will help me get a MyKad. In return I have to participate in the rally.”

Subramaniam said he took along several friends to Putrajaya today.

“I reached here early in the morning,” he said. “When I called PKR Bala, he said that he would not come to the protest. He also told me that Indian nationals would only get the MyKad if Pakatan takes over Putrajaya.

“It looks like he has cheated me.”

FMT did a quick check at the rally and found that more than 10 participants were Indian nationals.

The rally today was organised by PKR to highlight the high number of Malaysian Indians without proper documentation. PKR claims there are about 300,000 stateless Indian in the country while the government claims the number only stands at 15,000.

MIC men accused of roughing up Jui Meng

Johor PKR chief was allegedly manhandled after a meeting with NRD offcials in an attempt to resolve stateless Indians issue.
VIDEO INSIDE

PUTRAJAYA: PKR vice-president Chua Jui Meng, who is also Johor PKR chief, was allegedly manhandled by MIC members after a meeting with National Registration Department (NRD) officials here this morning.

“It is shocking that the police allowed MIC gangsters into a federal government building. There were about 50 MIC members waiting outside the meeting room.

“When we stepped out of the room after the meeting, about seven to eight of the MIC goons manhandled Chua, pushing and shoving him,” said N Surendran, a PKR vice-president.

Surendran had earlier led a delegation comprising Chua, Latheefa Koya, Charles Santiago and R Sivarasa to meet NRD director-general Jariah Mohd Said.

They were representing hundreds of people in a bid to resolve the issue of stateless Indians.

Surendran said a police report will be lodged against the MIC members who roughed up Chua. “We will also release a video which proves the assault,” he said.

MIC Youth information chief S Subramaniam was quick to deny Surendran’s allegation.

“We were there as part of a special task force. Chua reacted harshly when one of our members asked what he had done for the community when he was in the Cabinet,” he said.

Chua was health minister in the BN government from 1990 to 2004. He joined PKR in 2009.

Angry house buyers to march to MB’s office

Former PJS1 squatters say PJ council has failed to resolve their woes.

PETALING JAYA: Buyers of low cost flats in a stalled project at PJS1 are planning to march to the Selangor Menteri Besar’s office next week to complain against the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) for its delay in resolving their problem.

MBPJ has not met a two-week deadline set by Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, according to M Sugumaran, who chairs the Block E Residents Action Committee.

“In a meeting on Nov 24, Khalid instructed the council, in our presence, to come up with a solution within two weeks.

“He told us to meet him straight if MBPJ fails to meet the deadline. The deadline is over and we are now planning to go see Khalid at his office.”

The area now known as PJS1 was a squatter settlement until 2003, when property developer Peter Brickworks Sdn Bhd decided to build five blocks of flats there. The company promised about 200 squatter families that it would allocate units for their purchase.

The project stalled after four blocks had been completed. A court order had barred Peter Brickworks from working on the portion of the land it had reserved for the fifth block, Block E.

Last year, the Selangor state government decided to intervene. It promised the squatters that it would resolve their problem.

Sugumaran said MBPJ was the culprit behind the squatters’ prolonged suffering.

He alleged that when he called up deputy mayor Puasa Md Taib, the latter passed the buck to other departments.

“They keep pushing us from one department to another,” he said. “MBPJ is even defying a directive from the MB.”

‘Don’t take Indians for granted’

An Indian business leader says that the Indian community's votes should not be taken for granted as they are more aware of their rights now.

PETALING JAYA: The Barisan Nasional should not take the Indian comnmunity or any other communities for granted.

Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) president P Sivakumar said the Indians turned their backs against the BN because they are more aware of their rights.

Sivakumar said the Indians do not want handouts but equal opportunities.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had referred to the Indian community as a “fixed deposit” to BN until 2008, in his speech at the MIC annual general assembly.

“But in the 12th general election, the Indian fixed deposit moved from the BN bank to the opposition bank.

“Maybe our interest rates were not good in 2008 for the Indian fixed deposit votes but over the last three years I have raised the interest rates and they are making a comeback to the BN bank. The confidence on the BN government is back,” Najib was reported saying.

His speech drew flak from various leaders including Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga.

Sivakumar said that although Najib has done considerably good work in addressing Indian’s plight, the government is still oblivious on what the community really need.

“Give us equal opportunity. All the community wants is to be treated fairly and with some respect,” he said .

He said that over the years, many Indians were forced out of estates in the name of development but the government did not provide any support to them, forcing the community to fend for themselves.

By being displaced, Sivakumar added, had also caused many Indians to become stateless, as some could not even afford the minimum fee to get their birth certificates and MyKads.

“On top of that, the National Registration Department (NRD) makes stringent rules to make their lives miserable but at the same time, they relax rules for foreigners to get citizenship.

“This has made a lot of Indians to be deprived in many ways. Government agencies refused to help them and for decades, the community was humiliated.

“It’s the bottled up anger and frustration that resulted in the 2007 Hindraf rally,” said Sivakumar.

He urged the government to come up with a long term plan to uplift the Indian community instead of merely dishing out goodies and handouts during festivals.

He also said that the government should empower the community by giving them more education and economic opportunities.

“But Umno has not changed. Till today, they are still talking about handouts and goodies. To me, it’s nothing but a great sin.

“That’s why PAS’ promise to treat everyone equally, under their welfare state programme, sounds more appealing to the community,” said Sivakumar.

Overzealous officials on ‘khalwat’ trail


Religious departments across the country have many and varied responsibilities. Arguably one can say there are far more pressing matters than making sure couples don’t smooch.

The second issue is about the existence of these laws themselves. And just to be crystal clear they exist in Pakatan states and Barisan states too. This is not a party political issue. This is an issue about the role of the Islamic departments in the nation.

Azmi Sharom, The Star

AREN’T there more important issues to make a big deal of? Seriously, is this khalwat thing really of national interest?

First off, there is no way a non-Muslim can be charged for khalwat.

It is a syariah offence and thus simply does not apply to those who do not profess the religion of Islam.

So the incessant use of the term khalwat to describe the “offence” that these non-Muslim people have been charged with in Kelantan is inaccurate.

The term may spice the story up somewhat, but the real “offence” is that of “indecent behaviour”.

Secondly, and this is the subtext, I have seen in the reporting of this issue, is that this is a problem caused by PAS.

Come on, are our memories so short? A few years ago there was a non-Muslim couple fined for indecent behaviour or something like that in Kuala Lumpur; hardly a PAS bastion.

Therefore any attempt at making this a political party issue is totally missing the point. It is not.

The real issue here I submit is two-fold.

Firstly, it is about overzealous civil servants who obviously have taken it upon themselves to be the moral guardians, nay, moral guardian superheroes, of this country.

What can one say about such folk? Some people just love throwing what little authority they have around.

However, what is more important is the second issue which is systemic.

Fix the system, and the first problem will disappear too.

The second issue is about the existence of these laws themselves. And just to be crystal clear they exist in Pakatan states and Barisan states too. This is not a party political issue. This is an issue about the role of the Islamic departments in the nation.

Why do we have such laws in the first place?

For me, it seems a bit creepy and slightly perverted. I mean, who are these people who go lurking around parks in the dead of night?

Do they have to pass a test before they can get the job? Perhaps, they must have the ability to crawl through bushes with minimum sound. Khalwat Ninjas in other words.

Frankly, I think that this “job” is demeaning. No matter how you may couch the job description, at the end of the day, you are a peeping tom.

Looking at the responsibilities of religious departments across the country, it is obvious that there are many.

Arguably, one could say there are far more pressing matters than making sure couples don’t smooch.

For example, education is a big job for these departments, because it covers not only religious primary and secondary schools but also pre-school.

Perhaps it would be better to ensure that these institutions are not only well run and of high quality but that they also prepare their school leavers for the challenges of life in the twenty-first century.

And if you really want to nab people, I gather that a lot of divorced fathers are not living up to their end of the bargain and are escaping payment of maintenance and the like.

And what about finding new and innovative ways to improve the effectiveness of the tithe collections and distribution?

There are also research units in these religious departments and there is a plethora of subjects facing the Muslim community that could do with research.

Unemployment, corruption, substance abuse are just some of the ills faced by the Muslim community and work can be done here. And by work I mean progressive forward thinking work, not the usual knee jerk reaction of “these problems exist because people are not religious enough”.

The Islamic Studies Faculties in our public universities are huge and they produce graduates who are well versed in Islamic law, economics and theology.

There is in other words a pool of highly qualified workers who can delve into substantively trying to improve the lot of the community.

These are merely suggestions of course but I believe that with focused effort and energy much can be done to have a profound and positive effect on the community. And surely this would make these bodies far more relevant to the development of the nation.

Sultan Selangor benci dituduh orang Umno


Mohd Rashidi Hassan, Harakah Daily

Kepimpinan PAS Selangor menyambut baik dan amat menghargai titah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah bahawa baginda bukan Umno, tidak menyokong Umno dan sangat benci mendengar tuduhan bahawa baginda merupakan orang Umno.

Pesuruhjaya PAS Selangor, Dr Abdul Rani Osman sewaktu berbicara dengan penulis berkata, beliau menjunjung kasih terhadap baginda dan mahu hasrat Sultan dipatuhi semua pihak.

Titah tersebut dibuat dalam wawancara Mingguan Malaysia, yang menurut baginda, tuduhan itu timbul akibat salah faham ke atas seruannya supaya golongan Melayu bersatu.

"Malangnya terdapat mereka yang salah faham apabila saya menegur tentang Melayu bersatu, maka ada pihak yang kata saya orang Umno.

"Itu adalah sesuatu yang saya sangat benci mendengarnya. Pihak ini ikut sedap mulut bercakap tetapi tidak mahu memahami nasihat saya yang ikhlas," titah baginda.

Menurut Sultan, baginda memberitahu kakitangan istana untuk mencetak apa sahaja maklumat berkaitan Selangor yang disiarkan di dalam blog dan portal untuk dibaca.

"Tapi malangnya dalam blog dan portal ini, semua yang mereka katakan adalah saya orang Umno, sedangkan saya tidak menyebelahi mana-mana parti politik," titahnya.

Mengulas lanjut perkara tersebut, Dr Rani mengharapkan semua pihak, khususnya Umno, supaya tidak lagi cuba 'mempengaruhi' Sultan untuk kelihatan 'bias', yang akhirnya persepsi negatif dilemparkan terhadap baginda.

Tegas Dr Rani, pihak yang terbabit menasihati Sultan sama ada di Istana, mahupun dalam MAIS, JAIS dan SUK harus berhati-hati dan jangan sekali-kali mencemar kemuliaan baginda dengan agenda Umno.

Katanya, pernah berlaku beberapa krisis di Selangor apabila Pengerusi MAIS, Pengarah JAIS dan sebagainya, yang menasihati Sultan dalam hal ehwal agama, secara terang-terangan menyokong Umno-BN dan melakukan pelbagai tindakan yang bercanggah dengan kerajaan negeri.

Apabila mereka ini ditegur kerajaan negeri, khususnya MB, mereka sering menggunakan pelbagai alasan yang mengaitkan tindakan mereka sebagai 'arahan' Sultan.

"PAS Selangor amat menyanjungi Tuanku dan berharap para penasihat Sultan memastikan selepas ini sebarang kenyataan yang hendak dibuat atas nama baginda, hendaklah berhati-hati harus tidak dilihat 'bias'," ujarnya.

Bercerita lanjut mengenai Sultan Selangor, Abdul Rani memberitahu ramai yang tidak tahu bahawa baginda sentiasa mengikuti perkembangan politik negara dan amat memahami situasi yang ada.

Katanya, sewaktu pertemuan beliau dengan baginda dalam satu majlis Maal Hijrah di Masjid Negeri, di Shah Alam, Sultan Selangor bercerita mengenai Mohamad Sabu dan PAS.

Selepas selesai majlis, semasa majlis santapan yang dihadiri Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, Sultan memberitahu mereka, bahawa baginda terserempak dengan Timbalan Presiden PAS, itu di dalam kapal terbang sewaktu menuju ke Langkawi.

"Tuanku bercerita kepada kami, baginda memang minat ceramah Mohamad Sabu dan mengikuti ceramah beliau sejak belum menjadi Sultan lagi.

"Lama juga baginda bercerita tentang Mohamad Sabu, saya fikir dalam setengah jam juga baginda bercerita dengan nada yang ceria," ujarnya.

Menurut Rani, Sultan Selangor dengan nada bergurau berkata kepada mereka,"Sudah tentu saya tidak boleh mengambil gambar dengan beliau (Mohamad Sabu), nanti dituduh menyokong PAS pula", ujar baginda disambut gelak ceria dif-dif kehormat.

Dalam apa jua keadaan, Sultan seharusnya berada di atas politik. Memerintah dengan adil dan saksama, memayungi setiap rakyat jelata tanpa pilih kasih.

Namun orang politik ada juga ragam dan karenahnya. Khususnya bagi Umno yang sering mempergunakan Raja untuk kepentingan mereka, tambahan pula juak-juak Umno yang puluhan tahun mendominasi institusi Istana, tidak mudah untuk menerima perubahan yang berlaku dalam kerajaan Selangor.

PAS pernah mengalami situasi yang sama di Kelantan pada tahun 1990. Tekanan pihak yang berkepentingan, banyak membuat halangan jambatan hubungan kerajaan negeri dengan Istana.

Namun berkat kebijaksanaan Tuan Guru Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz selama 22 tahun memerintah, hubungan PAS dengan Istana begitu akrab dan semakin menunjukkan keakraban dengan penampilan berjiwa rakyat oleh Sultan Muhammad ke-V.

Begitu juga semasa PAS memerintah Terengganu pada tahun 1999 hingga 2004. Menteri Besar PAS, Dato' Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang mempunyai hubungan yang amat akrab dengan Sultan Mizan. Sehingga MB sendiri dijemput Sultan untuk menyampaikan kuliah agama di Istana.

Begitu juga di Kedah, Dato' Seri Azizan Abdul Razak turut tidak mempunyai sebarang masalah dengan Istana. Hubungan akrab kerajaan dengan Istana memudahkan pentadbiran kerajaan negeri berjalan lancar.

Di Perak, walaupun ditekan dengan begitu hebat selama 11 bulan dan dilaga-lagakan dengan Sultan, Dato' Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin menunjukkan sikap profesional beliau, sehinggalah Umno menggunakan Raja untuk menumbangkan kerajaan negeri Pakatan Rakyat.

Apa yang berlaku di Kelantan, Terengganu dan Kedah adalah manifestasi daripada kebijaksanaan kepimpinan PAS dalam mentadbir negeri. Walaupun banyak tekanan, walaupun banyak gangguan, berkat kesabaran mereka dan sikap taat setia kepada Raja, meletakkan Raja di atas orang politik, menjadikan institusi Sultan lebih dihormati serta disanjungi rakyat.

Dalam sejarah politik negara, walaupun ditimpa dengan pelbagai tuduhan, PAS sesekali tidak pernah menderhaka, tidak pernah anti-Raja, malah menentang pindaan Perlembagaan yang memansuhkan kekebalan Raja-Raja Melayu.

Ini berbeza dengan Umno. Mereka bukan sahaja meminda Perlembagaan. Mereka juga memaki hamun Raja-Raja dalam Perhimpunan Agung Umno. Menderhaka kepada Sultan, menabalkan Sultan 'boneka' di Kelantan, malahan membinatangkan Sultan Terengganu dalam satu demonstrasi di hadapan Istana Terengganu.

Tidak berlaku sehodoh-hodoh perlakuan terhadap Raja, melainkan dilakukan oleh orang-orang Umno. Sebaliknya, Umno mempergunakan media, mempengaruhi Raja dan rakyat, kononnya orang-orang Pakatan Rakyatlah yang menentang Raja. Sehinggakan ada kalangan Istana tertentu yang secara terbuka menyokong Umno dan menghentam pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat.

Justeru, molek benarlah jika Sultan Selangor sendiri sudah bertitah, baginda cukup benci dituduh orang Umno. Malah apa yang dititahkan Sultan Selangor, harus juga dicontohi Sultan Perak, Sultan Johor dan Sultan Pahang.

Tujuannya, adalah supaya institusi Raja-Raja Melayu dimulia dan dimartabatkan. Yang paling penting tiada persepsi negatif rakyat terhadap institusi Raja.

Within You Without You: The Beatles: in memory of Ravi Shankar

Rememberance of Ravi Shankar



You’re barking up the wrong tree, Kuli!

By Haris Ibrahim,
Tengku Razaleigh has called on the government to set up a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission to help address the issue of good governance by discovering the truth about the prevailing state of corruption, the extent of its practice and how to eliminate it as a way of life”, reports Malaysiakini.

“Upon coming into force, the commission could, for instance, declare a grace period of, say, six or 12 months or such other reasonable period to allow abusers to come clean and make amends for their misdeeds. During this moratorium no action would be taken against them. However, if it is subsequently determined that a declarant had not been truthful, then he would be pursued and the full extent of the law would be applied against him”, Kuli is reported to have said.

 Good idea, but Kuli’s knocking on the wrong door in suggesting that the present government set this up.

I have been mooting this idea for some time too, except that my suggestion, made to some of the Pakatan leaders, was that they announce now that if they come to power post the 13th GE, there would be a total amnesty for the rank and file in the civil service and the police force for any past corrupt practices, provided the sums involved have not been huge, in which case some sort of restitution will be called for, and provided that they join the new government to usher in an era of full transparency and accountability and raise the standards of professionalism in their ranks.

This, hopefully, should put paid to the scare-mongering being perpetrated by UMNO now amongst the civil service that if a new regime takes over Putrajaya, there will be a witch-hunt and it will not just be UMNO leaders who will be heading to Sungai Buloh prison.

As for the big guns both in the public, private and corporate sector, the senior civil service and police officers, who have been privy to corrupt self-enrichment at the expense of the rakyat, I will go along with Kuli’s suggestion.

A moratorium and a guarantee of amnesty subject to there being full and frank disclosure followed by restitution.

This commission, a post 13th GE creation by the new non-BN government, to aid in the rehabilitation of the nation by restoring as much of the wealth of the nation back into her coffers, in my view, should not be made up of anyone from the political parties or the civil service.

Let this be a civil society commission.
Why?
I am going to be blunt.

There will be those in the opposition presently who, we hope, will, post the 13th GE, be part of the new government.

Some from amongst them were part of the BN administration previously and were themselves involved in corrupt practices. Names need not be mentioned here or in comments to this post.

The object of this post is not to shame anyone.

They, too, must avail themselves of the amnesty and make restitution.
For this reason, it is important that the commission as now proposed by Kuli be totally independent of the new government so that, firstly, no allegation of cover up could be leveled at the new government in respect of past misdeeds by their own rank, and secondly, so that the task of recovering the wealth of the nation, or as much of it as may be possible, is not only done, but manifestly seen to be done.

Aktivisme dan media sosial

Sinar Harian 
by SYAHREDZAN JOHAN

Minggu lepas, saya menjadi ahli panel sebuah forum dianjurkan oleh gagasan anak muda yang dikenali sebagai “Penabung”. Forum tersebut adalah berkenaan media sosial, anak muda dan budaya melawan.

Saya ingin kongsikan di sini sedikit sebanyak apa yang telah saya bentangkan pada forum tersebut.

Sekian lama, penyebaran maklumat menjadi prerogatif kerajaan. Monopoli maklumat ini membolehkan kerajaan maklumat dimanipulasi oleh kerajaan.

Perbincangan dan isu diolah dan diuli mengikut acuan yang disenangi oleh pihak kerajaan, yang sedikit sebanyak menjaminkan homogeni pendapat dan pemikiran rakyat. Contohnya, isu seperti anak muda dan black metal, rempit, budaya melepak dan komik Jepun pernah dahulu menjadi isu yang hangat diperbincangkan, tetapi ia diterajui oleh maklumat yang disalurkan oleh kerajaan.

Internet telah menukar semua ini. Monopoli maklumat telah dipecahkan. Di Malaysia, ‘detik gemilang’ internet sebagai sumber alternatif maklumat adalah ketika pilihan raya umum yang lepas, di mana blog telah sedikit-sebanyak menyebabkan tsunami politik di Semenanjung Malaysia. Tetapi blog adalah jurnal atau catatan. Ada struktur dan bentuknya dan penulis perlu ada ciri-ciri penulis.

Blog mungkin mendemokrasikan maklumat, kerajaan bukanlah sumber maklumat yang tunggal lagi. Tetapi sama seperti demokrasi Yunani purba, demokrasi ini bukan untuk semua.

Sehinggalah tiba media sosial seperti Twitter dan Facebook. Jika blog telah mendemokrasikan maklumat, media sosial pula telah merakyatkan maklumat.

Dengan media sosial, sesiapa pun boleh menyampaikan maklumat. Ketika sebuah kompleks membeli-belah meletup, maklumat tentangnya mula tersebar melalui Twitter terlebih dahulu. Begitu juga ketika perhimpunan Bersih 2 dan 3, di mana cara yang terbaik untuk mendapat maklumat terkini adalah dengan memantau susur masa Twitter dan Facebook.

Media sosial juga membolehkan sesiapa yang mempunyai pandangan untuk mengutarakannya. Tak perlu pandai menulis, kriteria yang dicari hanyalah kebolehan menulis dalam 140 aksara. Atau cukup supaya orang faham jika diutarakan dalam Facebook.

Rakyat Malaysia semakin lama menjadi masyarakat yang begitu senang mengeluarkan pendapat tentang sesuatu perkara. Melalui media sosial, rakyat kini ghairah memberi ide dua kupang mereka.

Dengan adanya media sosial juga, tajuk, topik dan isu yang menjadi perbincangan nasional tidak lagi ditentukan oleh pihak kerajaan. Rakyat biasa boleh menetapkan apa yang ingin dibincangkan, dan kerajaan pula yang terpaksa mengikut rentak rakyat dalam beberapa perkara.

Contoh terbaik adalah tentangan luar biasa terhadap logo Hari Kebangsaan pada tahun ini, sehinggakan pihak kerajaan terpaksa menarik balik logo tersebut. Ini adalah isu yang dibangkitkan oleh pengguna media sosial, bukan ahli politik atau kerajaan.

Lahirlah apa yang dikenali sebagai clicktivism. Clicktivism ini kadangkala dikritik sebagai sejenis slactivism, atau aktivisme orang malas. Daripada aktivisme akar umbi dengan ‘turun padang’ untuk bawa perubahan positif, clicktivist hanya menggunakan media sosial untuk aktivisme mereka. Contohnya dengan klik butang LIKE dalam muka surat Facebook tentang sesuatu kempen.

Pada prinsipnya, clicktivism tidak salah. Media sosial banyak membantu dalam membawa aktivisme ke arus perdana.

Mereka yang mungkin tidak ada masa, terlalu sibuk dan sebagainya masih boleh menyumbang kepada usaha membawa perubahan positif melalui aktivisme.

Apa yang menjadi masalah adalah apabila kita rasa media sosial itu adalah matlamatnya. Bahawa hanya dengan bermedia-sosial, apa yang diperjuangkan akan berjaya. Inilah yang akan saya cuba kupaskan dalam bahagian 2 yang akan disiarkan dua minggu lagi.

*Penulis seorang peguam muda yang mengamal undang-undang sebagai rakan kongsi di sebuah firma guaman di Kuala Lumpur. Ini adalah bahagian pertama rencana dua bahagian ini.

1M4U Can Turn Malaysia Into Hub, Model In Volunteerism - Najib

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 12 (Bernama) - 1Malaysia for Youth (1M4U) can turn Malaysia into a hub and a model country in volunteerism with people of different races working together based on the 1Malaysia concept, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The prime minister said the initiative underlined the government noble vision and aspirations in making iM4U as a body and platform to promote and drive volunteerism among the younger generation.

Najib, who is also 1M4U chairman, said the government would promote volunteerism among all Malaysians, especially the younger generation in the public and private sectors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and government-linked companies (GLCs) in conjunction with the National Convention on Volunteering 2013.

"1M4U will organise the National Convention on Volunteering 2013 in February next year to assemble all active volunteers to discuss the direction of volunteerism among young people in the country," he said when meeting 10 finalists in the My Uni Rocks contest at the Perdana Putra Building here Wednesday.

In an effort to promote structured and regular volunteer activities among youths, he said 100 iM4U Outreach Centres would be opened in all institutions of higher learning in stages next year to serve as a catalyst for volunteerism among undergraduates.

He said 1M4U would extend a RM5,000 grant to each outreach centre to activate volunteer activities, and create the 'Tokoh iM4U Volunteer' and the most active outreach centre awards.

Calling on undergraduates and the younger generation to register as iM4U volunteers through the iM4U website, he said the 1M4U programme, logo and song were already very popular and close to the hearts of young people in the country.

"The 1M4U song has become so popular. However, it may not be as well known as the Gangnam Style, but certainly it has taken root among Malaysian youths.

"They identified this as their song and it is so meaningful as it conveys that the government is here for you. We are doing what we can to transform the nation.

Above all, once the job is completed; it is for you - the youth of today to benefit the Malaysia we are building together," he said.

On My Uni Rocks, he said the competition was unique for it capitalised on the social network platform, Facebook, where youths could exchange ideas and hold discussions.

"1M4U greatly appreciates the efforts and dedication shown by the younger generation in submitting constructive ideas on volunteer activities," he said.

He said the My Uni Rocks contest was appropriate for it was aimed at providing an opportunity to IPT students nationwide to bring their volunteerism ideas to fruition through the social network, Facebook.

The second phase of My Uni Rocks is now open for public voting on ten finalists for their volunteerism proposals posted on the 1M4U Facebook until Dec 31.

The names of the three top teams will be announced on Jan 1 next year and they will have an opportunity to hold a concert, win Apple iPads and a study tour abroad for five.

Police detain mechanic over child abuse video clip on Facebook


KLANG: The police have detained a mechanic for allegedly abusing a three-year-old boy, following a video clip which went viral on Facebook on Tuesday.

North Klang police deputy chief Supt Jani Ahmad said the 32-year-old suspect, who is the step-father of the victim, was picked up at his house in Taman Mas, Kapar here about 8pm Tuesday.

He said the arrest followed a police report from an individual who knew the suspect featured in the video clip.

Jani said, during the raid, the suspect was with the victim.

"We have detained a man, while the child has been sent to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital here for treatment of injuries, believed to have been sustained from the abuse," he said Wednesday.

Elaborating, Jani said the police were unsure of the actual date of the incident, adding that the mother of the child could not be contacted.

Meanwhile, according to the police Facebook page, the man was being investigated under Section 31 (1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 and if convicted, can be fined not more than RM20,000 or jailed not more than 10 years, or both.

The latest entry on the site said the child was now being treated at the hospital and placed under the care of the state welfare department.

The eight minute, 33-second video clip shows a man in a blue shirt and a pair of jeans hurling and kicking the child who was crying incessantly. - Bernama